posted by Ahijoy on October 26, 2022
Vinyl Decal Size Chart: For Shirts, Bags, And More
You have the vinyl and your favorite plain shirt, your friend’s tote bag or even your toddler’s onesie, and you have conceptualized the most complicated yet beautiful decal design - you are all set to create an amazing craft but you don’t have the knowledge of what size your decal should be. This is the biggest hindrance to perfection.
A well-placed and properly sized decal can make or break your final product! Although it might be difficult at first to really get the hang of where and how, and what you should do to ensure the perfect decal, the vinyl decal size chart is the easiest place to start.
Why Is Placement Of Heat Transfer Vinyl Important?
You might have the perfect design paired to print on your favorite t-shirt or bag, however, the visual outcome would be completely different if your Heat Transfer Vinyl design appears to be of a different size than what you envisioned. A design too small would look awkward and difficult to view from afar and a large design would become distorted as you wear your shirt or carry your bag.
The placement of the design is highly important as well. If a design is placed too close to the neck of the shirt or the hem of your bag, it will look unusual. If it is supposed to be placed centrally and is even 2 inches away from the center of a shirt, the final product will lose its charm!
Hence to attain a visually aesthetic decal that is perfectly displayed on a shirt or a bag, it is imperative to be attentive to its size and correct placement.
The Vinyl Decal Size Chart
The vinyl decal size chart is a method that is extremely easy to maneuver and ensures the success of your final product every single time!
For a beginner, the size chart can be a useful guide they can follow every step of the way while transferring their vinyl design. The size chart provided below covers standardized shirts for infants till adults. It is perfect for products which have the same measurements as mentioned in the decal size chart and have a generic regular fitting.
This method works best for making identical shirts without having to figure out the design size for each and every shirt such as football jerseys, office team shirts or even for volunteers. The vinyl decal size chart not only works best with centrally placed designs but also applies to designs placed on either side of the shirt.
For Infant
Infant | Shirt size | Design size | Placement |
---|---|---|---|
0-3 months | 3”- 4” | Design top should be 1” below neckline | |
3-6 months | 3”- 4” | Design top should be 1” below neckline | |
6-9 months | 4”- 5” | Design top should be 1” below neckline | |
12 months | 5” - 6” | Design top should be 1” below neckline |
For Toddler
Toddler | Shirt size | Design size | Placement |
---|---|---|---|
18 months | 4”- 5” | Design top should be 1” below neckline | |
2 Years | 4”- 5” | Design top should be 1” below neckline | |
3 Years | 5” - 6” | Design top should be 1” below neckline | |
4 Years | 5” - 6” | Design top should be 1” below neckline |
For Teens
Teens | Shirt size | Design size | Placement |
---|---|---|---|
x-smal | 6.5” | Design top should be 1.5” - 2” below neckline | |
small | 7” | Design top should be 1.5” - 2” below neckline | |
medium | 7.5” | Design top should be 1.5” - 2” below neckline | |
large | 8” | Design top should be 1.5” - 2” below neckline | |
x-large | 8.5” | Design top should be 1.5” - 2” below neckline |
For Adult
Adult | Shirt size | Design size | Placement |
---|---|---|---|
x-smal | 8.5” | Design top should be 3” - 3.5” below neckline | |
small-large | 9”-9.5” | Design top should be 3” - 3.5” below neckline | |
x-large | 10” | Design top should be 3” - 3.5” below neckline | |
2X-large | 10.5” | Design top should be 3” - 3.5” below neckline | |
3X-large | 11” | Design top should be 1.5” - 2” below neckline | |
4X-large | 11.5” | Design top should be 1.5” - 2” below neckline |
How To Use The Vinyl Decal Size Chart For Centrally Placed Designs?
- Place the shirt on a flat surface and fold it in half according to its length.
- Iron the folded shirt and ensure a crease is present.
- Fold the shirt further, this time in a criss cross manner and mark a crease.
- Unfold the shirt and see the intersection point of both creases. This is our center which you will mark with an erasable chalk.
- Use the vinyl decal size chart to Indicate the size and category of the shirt, for example: (teen, small)
- Figure out how far down the design should be placed from the neckline and place a mark there with erasable chalk.
- View the measurements of the design to see how far it appears from the left and right side of the shirt and mark it with chalk. This gives you a visual indication of the size of your vinyl design.
- Use your software to input the exact measurements mentioned in the vinyl decal size chart and print your design.
- Place your design on the shirt aligned with the chalk marks placed prior and voila! You have a perfectly sized design and a brand-new shirt!
The Imitation Method for Accessories
Although the vinyl decal size chart is useful for various instances where there is a generic design or style of shirt, however, sizes of shirts vary in different brands. This is because all shirts are not the same.
There are different sized fittings for each and every shirt such as polos, V-necks, slim fit. In these scenarios, you often get confused and try to eyeball the design size, however, that often leads to mistakes and an unsatisfactory result.
Moreover, the sizing chart cannot apply to different types of products such as jeans, bags, totes, and other items you might want to style. Items such as bags come in different shapes and sizes and do not have a determined vinyl size chart. For instances like this, there is one method you can never go wrong with. This method is called the imitation method.
This method works by finding the logo/design on an old shirt or bag or product similar to the item you want to print your new design on. The next few steps are just using a ruler or inch tape to see how far the design is from the sides and measuring the design itself.
Most importantly, measure the design to see how far from the neck or hem it starts so that your design is not oddly placed. If it’s a bag, then you will use the previous method to figure out the center then marking your sides. After you have done that, you can input the same measurements on your design software and print the vinyl design according to that.
Although it might be challenging at first, incorporating the reverse method along with the vinyl decal size chart is an effective way to never go wrong with your vinyl design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Placement and sizing of the decal on a shirt, bag or shoe can be a daunting task. It is especially difficult for a newbie who has just joined the crafting world. Hopefully, the above mentioned guidelines will help in making the work easier and less intimidating. All in all, it's trial and error. You will master it with practice so visit Ahijoy, choose your favorite vinyl and revamp that boring bag!